The closing concert of the festival belongs to the Slovak Philharmonic led by the master of baton Pinchas Steinberg. Although the works from the rich opera output by Jules Massenet are only rarely presented onstage, many musicians try to discover also reputably lost works – for instance the graceful Chérubin from 1905, beginning with an ingenious overture of the Rossini kind. The expressive Violin Concerto by Benjamin Britten was written during the composer’s stay in the U.S.A. in 1940 and it is indeed the first more extensive opus by the distinguished author. This piece will be performed on the Carlo Bergonzi violin from 1736 by Anthony Marwood, a native Londoner, holder of many tributes; e.g. the Royal Philharmonic Society indicated him as the ‘instrumentalist of the year 2006’.

At the end of the jubilee year of the 50th BMF Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz will sound – it is a famous, magical, still provoking and inspiring work. Episodes from the life of an artist disturbed by passion from unaccomplished love are simply a perpetual theme.